KABUL - Last week saw the completion of a legal training on investigating and documenting abuses of detainee rights. The event was held in Kunduz and was a collaboration between UNAMA, EUPOL, and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

In total 17 law enforcement authorities attended. The group included police, prosecutors, and investigators from the National Directorate of Security.

“The objective is to promote the protection of detainees and the rule of law,” said Leila Bouchebouba, UNAMA’s Head of Office for the North East Region. “If you want have the trust of the population, you need to investigate properly.”

Jasper Ritzema, the head of EUPOL in Kunduz, outlined why the training was valuable.

“EUPOL wants to emphasize the importance of enhancing the cooperation between police and other justice actors not only when it comes to the protection of the rights of suspects and detainees but during the whole criminal investigative procedure,” he said.

In late 2011 UNAMA released a report detailing instances of the ill-treatment and torture occurring in Afghan detention facilities.

By UNAMA Kunduz